House Training A Dog – The Simple Way
By Melissa Wayan
The puppy is new and oh so cute. You cuddle with it every day and love to chase it around the yard or play tug of war with the stuffed animal that, in a year will probably be missing most of its Read more...
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Jumping Dogs: It Might Be More Than An Excited Greeting
By Martin Olliver
Down Spot! Down Princess! Down Rover! Down Peaches! … Down Comet! Down Cupid! Down Donder and Blitzen! I’ve heard that command many times, from many desperate dog owners, directed at many determined Read more...
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Dog Training: What Is Dog Training?
By David McFarlane
The term “dog training” can mean many different things – this is an important fact to remember when deciding what exactly you need to do with your dog.First, there is "behavior Read more...
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Dog Chewing: 4 Essential Steps To Stop The Destruction
By Martin Olliver
Humans play solitaire to keep themselves occupied when they’re alone. Dogs chew. It’s what they do. Actually, chewing is much more important to dogs than solitaire is to humans. Dogs need to chew on things to maintain healthy teeth and gums and good jaw strength. Solitaire will do nothing for your dental hygiene.
Puppies need to chew even more when they are teething (in fact, there are special chew toys that can be dampened and frozen to provide relief for painful gums during this process). So chewing isn’t a problem in itself, but destructive chewing is. Dogs need to learn what they can and cannot chew on, and they are quite capable of doing so when properly taught. Here are four steps every owner should take to encourage “constructive chewing.”
1. Prevent. As always the best cure, but owners should always proof their home, especially with puppies. They can be very creative with what they chew. Anything not removable that has been or is likely to be targeted can be sprayed with a deterrent, such as Bitter Apple.
2. Interrupt. Whenever you are there with your dog, it is important that you actively teach them commands for “leave it” or “drop.” These are given whenever you see them taking something into their jaws that should not be in there. You may have to orchestrate this training process by adding some of the items that you removed in step 1. But that’s what training is all about - setting up safe scenarios in which you can help them differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate behavior. These commands will also work well when you are out with your and they want to pick up something dangerous or just foul.
3. Redirect. Here’s where you start teaching your friend which toys belong to them, to chew to pieces if they like (and they will). Immediately after removing the inappropriate item from their clutches, replace it with an appropriate toy. It will take some time to really zero in on a few of your dog’s most favorite things. But as you try lots of different toys to encourage constructive chewing, keep in mind that the best ones are those designed to promote healthy teeth and gums such as dental chew ropes. Also, try to find what are called “active toys,” which give your something to do for an extended period of time. For example, “Kong” balls and rubber toys can be stuffed with food, such as peanut butter or whatever they go for. Often dogs are inactive when they are alone because they’re missing
Stop Your Dog Barking When You're At Home
By Martin Olliver
When you need to curb your dog’s barking, it can be a real challenge if the only time they do it is when you’re not there. Often, these dogs need a training program that will not only address the Read more...
Kiteboarding Gear Profiled By Lazy Dog
By Cathi Long
American Kite Surfing Association (AKSA) is the leading organization for kite surfers in North America. Founded in 2006 by two extreme sport enthusiasts, membership is anticipated to exceed 30,000 Read more...
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